


A way to Sanity

by Alexander_Wesker



Series: Son of a King (Rhys is Jack's Son AU) [3]
Category: Borderlands (Video Games)
Genre: Badass Rhys, Blake thought that Nakayama could help Rhys being more stable, Canonical Character Death, Dark Rhys, Drabble Sequence, Friendship, Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Nakayama is creepy, Rhys has the same heterochromia Jack has, Rhys is Jack's Son, Sequel of 'The King had fell', There is no creepy relationship, Younger!Rhys, but he is trying his best, he was... not entirely wrong
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-24
Updated: 2018-11-24
Packaged: 2019-08-28 09:37:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16720878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alexander_Wesker/pseuds/Alexander_Wesker
Summary: Nakayama was the only person Blake was sure wouldn't tell anyone Rhys's secret.(This story is the direct sequel of 'The King had fell')





	A way to Sanity

**Author's Note:**

> This story is set directly after ' The King had fell'

Rhys had never liked Nakayama, that man was too obsessed with his father ... he always wanted his attention and the thing had always creeped him out.  
That's why when Blake had brought him to the scientist's lab he could not help but stop and look at Blake with mistrust. He had promised that he would take him to someone reliable - reliable! - to spend the next few years waiting for him to be of the right age to return to Hyperion - as an employee, Blake had a plan for this whole charade to work and he wasn't going to tell him too much about it... which had bothered Rhys enough that he tried threatened Blake to tell him everything ... but a fifteen year old wasn't as frightening as Handsome Jack, no matter how much he tried, and Blake hadn't even been impressed by his attempt to intimidate him.  


* * *

  
Nakayama was creepy, Rhys was uncomfortable with his stares and the adoring way he treated him. Although - and of this Rhys was grateful - he hadn't asked him about his father once, but instead took him with him to his laboratory, showing him some of his genetics projects and explaining what he was doing.  
Rhys came to the conclusion that genetics was ... it was a bit like an organic version of programming. The genes were like lines of code and that when put together they created a new organism exactly as the code strings created a program.  
When he had said of his conclusion to the Professor, Nakayama had seemed enthusiastic, his already present adoration which had practically shone in his eyes as he praised him. And though Rhys was still slightly disturbed, he was beginning to grow fond of the strange Professor. He was not as scary or disturbing as he thought ... just a little weird.  


* * *

  
But one thing that Rhys couldn't stand for was Nakayama' inability to defend himself, because it clashed against everything that had been taught to Rhys during his life ... how could someone not be able to shoot or throw a punch or ... or _strangle_ someone else?  
Rhys decided that since he was fond of Nakayama, he would have protected him if the situation had needed it ... he wouldn't have lost any more of the people he was fond of. After all he was his father's _Little Warrior_ , he could be the _Guardian_ of the Professor.  


* * *

  
When Nakayama was notified of an infraction in his laboratory his first thought had gone to Handsome Jack's son, the boy could be in danger and - and he swore it on everything sacred on Pandora - he couldn't allow this , it would have _disappointed Jack_ if he had allowed the boy to be damaged in some way.  
What the Professor had not expected to see was the now seventeen-year-old with a gun in his hand - _where did he find it?_ \- surrounded by the bodies of at least a dozen pandoran bandits. The blood of those men was staining his face, hands and clothes.  
Rhys had never looked as much like Jack as he was now. And Nakayama found himself standing there staring at him, _staring_ with the same admiration and adoration he felt for Jack. Because that boy was really his father's son.  
Then Rhys turned to him, lowering his gun, and smiled at him. That expression so sweet on a face so equal to that of Jack would remain in the memory of the Professor until the last moment of his life.  
"Are you all right, Professor?" the boy asked him, a sweet concern in tone.  
Nakayama nodded, not trusting his voice for an answer.  
"Perfect" Rhys had said, deconstructing the weapon "I would have hated if those bandits had managed to hurt you"  
And his words and his tone were, for the Professor, like the ghost of a dream.  


* * *

  
When Rhys had to leave, go back to Helios. Nakayama greeted him with a sad smile and many words, a long speech a bit 'too messy, full of reassurance and advice.  
"Remember me, when you take your rightful place" with these words he had finished his speech.  
Rhys had smiled at him, his pose resembling that in which his father was represented in many posters - head high, confident look, hands on hips - "I will, Professor. Until then be safe" and then he disappeared into a cascade of blue pixels while the fast travel station teleported him to Helios.  
Nakayama promised himself that he would do it. He didn't know that, not even a few months after, he would have been visited by the same Vault Hunters who killed Jack.  
And of his death ... of his death Rhys would have heard only after a long, long time ...


End file.
